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Brandon Knight made it through practice today and will be a game-time decision when the Pistons visit Washington on Wednesday.
Knight has missed the past three games with a hyperextended right knee.
“We’re not committing to anything,” said Pistons coach Lawrence Frank. “We’ll just see how he reacts.
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In a sign that the torn plantar fascia in his right foot has somewhat healed, Lakers forward Pau Gasol revealed in a tweet Tuesday that he’s no longer nursing crutches.
Gasol injured his foot in the Lakers’ win Feb. 8 over the Brooklyn Nets and was declared out for a minimum of six to eight weeks. Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni suggested that it’s possible Gasol won’t return until the Lakers will know their playoff aspirations.
— Reported by Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News (Blog)
Paul Pierce scored 26 points, including seven straight in overtime, and the Boston Celtics beat the Utah Jazz 110-107 on Monday night to close out a five-game road trip.
Pierce had a chance to win it in regulation, but his 19-footer at the buzzer rimmed out.
Alec Burks’ reverse layup pulled Utah to 108-105 with 37 seconds left in overtime. Kevin Garnett’s banked 3-pointer with 13 seconds left came after the shot clock expired, giving the Jazz another chance.
Paul Millsap was fouled before he could get off a 3, but made two free throws with 4.2 seconds remaining.
Courtney Lee added two free throws at the other end with 1.2 seconds left to bump Boston’s lead back to three, and Randy Foye’s 26-footer at the buzzer missed everything.
Avery Bradley added a season-high 18 points for Boston.
Gordon Hayward led Utah with 26 points, Millsap had 16 and Al Jefferson finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
The Celtics (30-27) were playing their fifth game in seven days, but didn’t seem to care down the stretch.
— Reported by Lynn DeBruin of the Associated Press
Wilson Chandler scored 23 points in place of an injured Danilo Gallinari, and Ty Lawson added 22 in the Denver Nuggets’ 119-108 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night.
Gallinari, the Nuggets’ leading scorer, sat out with a bruised left thigh. He wasn’t needed as the Nuggets won their ninth straight game at home, snapped the Lakers’ four-game winning streak and took the season series from their long-time nemesis 3-1.
The Lakers, who were shut out on the offensive glass in the first half, wanted to slow down the Nuggets but Denver outscored Los Angeles 33-3 in fast-break points.
Gallinari, who got hurt Friday night at Washington and was limited the next night at Charlotte, was an unexpected late scratch. Averaging 16.9 points, he had scored at least 19 in each of Denver’s first three games against the Lakers.
Chandler started in his place and Corey Brewer got extended minutes, too, finishing with 16 points.
Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 29 points, and Dwight Howard added 15 points and 14 boards but missed 11 of his last 12 free throws.
— Reported by Arnie Stapleton of the Associated Press